Hypodermic projectile



June 11, 1963 1 B. HARRIS ETAL. 3,093,077

HYPODERMIC PROJECTILE Filed March 20, 1962 42 i410 4j g' /z /0 i /4 2. M w' ff? '""mm'm'm"Ww-mmm www" V/ INVENTORS, ff/ E #iff/5 States This invention relates to improvements in hypodermic projectiles of the type used in hunting large animals, or large fish underwater.

A primary purpose of the invention is an improved hypodermic projectile which may be shot from a gun, bow, speargun or other weapon.

Another purpose is a projectile of the type described having improved means for discharging the hypodermic change into the target.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, :drawings and claims.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side View of our improved projectile, with portions broken away,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged axial section through a portion of the projectile shown in FIGURE l,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged axial section illustrating the needle and the attaching means for it,

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section along plane 4--4 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 illustrate various means for attaching the projectile body to a weapon.

'Ilhe present invention is an improvement on the hypodermic bullet illustrated in U.S. Patent 1,819,415. Bullets or projectiles of this type are primarily used to drug, paralyze or kill large animals or iis-h. The invention has particular use in spearishing as a means for protection against or as a means for hunting sharks or other large sh.

A generally cylindrical body 10 which may be hollow defines a generally cylindrical chamber 12 within which is positioned a flexible container or the like 14 holding a hypodermic charge 16. 'Ihe container 14 may be rubber, plastic or some other similar material which can hol-d the charge 16 under pressure. A plug or the like 18 may close one end of the container 14. A ring 20 which may be metal or rubber holds the container 14 on the plug 18.

One end of the body 10, which as illustrated herein is the left end, may be closed by a suitable cap 22. The cap is generally cylindrical in form and has a generally rounded nose 24. The cap may have an annular shoulder 26 slightly smaller in diameter than the major diameter of the cap for mounting the body 10. Wax or some other suitable sealing substance may he placed in an annular opening 28 between the body 10 and the shoulder 26 to secure the body.

The cap 22 may include an inwardly directed extension 30 which has an annular groove 32 for mounting the container 14. A ring 34, which may be rubber or metal, may lit in the groove 32 and hold the container 14 to the cap.

The cap 22 may have a threaded bore 36 which mounts the threaded end 38 of a needle 40. The needle 40 may have a plurality of barbs 41 and may be hollow. A slideable plunger 42 which has an enlarged en-d 44 and an axial passage 46 may be mounted within the hollow needle in a fairly close tit. The :bore 36 in the cap is in alignment with a passage 48, also in the cap, which opens into the container 14. A suitable plug or disc 50 may be mounted at the junction of the passage 48 and the threaded bore 36 to block the flow of the hypodermic charge 16 to the needle. In operati-on, .once the projectile has struck a target, the plunger 42 will slide inwardly, pierce the plug 50 and thereby open the way for the hypodermic charge to dow through the plunger and into the target.

The needle 40 may have a generally slanted outer end 52. The enlargement 44 on the plunger may be generally conical in shape such that it lits against the slanted surface 52 of the needle when it is in the fully in position of FIGURE 3. In other words, when the projectile is shot toward a target, lrst the plunger will strike the target and will be driven inwardly to pierce the plug 50. Next the needle will strike the target and pierce it. As the needle pierces the target, so will the plunger. The hypodermic charge will be shot through the hollow plunger into the target. In this connection, it may be advantageous to have a number of radially extending holes 54 spaced about the body of the plunger to permit the lluid to ow along the outside of it toward the opening in the needle. Although the plunger lits closely within the passage in the needle, some fluid may llow about the outside of the plunger.

The projectile shown and described may be shot from any suitable type of weapon. In FIGURE l the body 1l) is mounted within the casing 56 which includes an end plate 58. The body 10 may lbe spaced from the en-d plate 58 to define a chamber 60 which may contain a suitable explosive charge, as is conventional in bullets. Crossed wires or the like 61 may assist in holding the :body within the casing, and wax may be used to seal the body to the casing, as at 65. As shown in FIGURES l and 4 the end of the body 10 opposite the needle may have a plurality of tins or vanes 62, which are somewhat spiral in cross section, so that the projectile may be shot from a smooth bore gun.

FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate two different configurations for the mounting end of the projectile. The body 10 may include, in FIGURE 5, a concentric extension 63 which denes a `generally cylindrical chamber or opening 64. An arrow or spear may thus be attached to the projectile. FIGURE 6 is substantially similar to FIGURE 5 except that the cylindrical extension 66 is smaller in diameter than the projectile. The structure shown in FIGURE 6 may also be attached to a spear, arrow or the like.

FIGURE 7 illustrates yet a further form of projectile in which there is a threaded shaft 68 which is attached in a threaded opening 70 in the body 10. The shaft 68 and the threaded end at the right can be screwed into a threaded ferrule on a shaft for security.

The use, operation and function of the invention are as follows:

This invention pertains particularly to improvements in hypodermic projectiles of the type used in killing or temporarily paralyzing large animals. The invention also has application to spearshing or it may be used either in killing lor capturing large lish, -for example sharks, or other dangerous iish.

Of particular advantage in the invention is the means for discharging the hypodermic charge immediately upon contact with the tanget. A plunger is slideable within a pointed needle in such a way that initial Contact is made with the target by the plunger. The plunger will be pushed inwardly so that it will pierce the seal holding the hypodermic charge. As the plunger is pushed inward the needle will be inserted into the target and the hypodermic charge will then flow through the plunger and into the target. Preferably the container holding the hypodermic charge is flexible, for example rubber, plastic or the like, and is under sutlcient tension, or pressure, so that as soon as the seal holding the charge is removed, the charge will be immediately forced through the plunger into the target. If rubber is use-d for the container it should be stretched to such a degree that upon release `of the seal the rubber will quickly force the hypodermic charge into the target. The container may he formed of a stiff material and a suitable gas or the like utilized t-o discharge the drug. It is also possible to use the entire hollow portion of the :body to hold the charge under pressure.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there are many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto within the scope of the following claim.

We claim:

In a hypodermic projectile, a generally cylindrical hollow body, a flexible container positioned within the body and having a hypodermic charge .under pressure, a cap closing one end of the body, means at the opposite end of the body for mounting the body to a weapon for projecting it, said cap including van inwardly directed extension mounting said container, a ygenerally y'axial passage in the cap and extension opening into said container, 20

a needle having a slanted outer end coming to a point for piercing a target mounted on said cap in alignment with said passage, said needle having a passage in cornmunication with said cap passage, a hollow plunger slideable in said needle passage and extending outwardly from said needle, sai-d plunger having an enlarged outside end which is adapted to fit against the slanted end of the needle when the needle and plunger contact a target, a plurality of radially extending holes in said plunger placing the interior of said plunger in communication with the space :between the outer surface of the plunger and the inner surface of the needle to increase the flow of the hypodermic charge .upon contact with a target, means, within the cap, blocking the passage in the cap, movement `of said plunger in an inward 'direction upon Contact with a target being effective to pierce the means fblocking the passage in the cap and to release said hypodermic charge through the plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,815,300 Harris July 21, 1931 2,854,925 Crockford et al. .;V` A Oct. 7, 1958 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 241,795 Germany Oct. 26, 1910 

